Mental Health

Research appearing in Psychological Science (September, 1998; 9(5):397-401) looked at the effect acupuncture treatment had on depression. It was a small study, involving 38 women between the ages of 18 and 45, suffering from depression. The women were divided into three groups. One group received specific acupuncture treatment. One group received non-specific acupuncture treatment. A […]

A six-month double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 23 individuals with mild multiple sclerosis (MS) was performed at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine. Physicians noted better performance on neuropsychological tests by patients who took Ginkgo biloba compared to those who took an inactive placebo. Past studies have shown that Ginkgo slows mental

Dietary intake of fish and omega-3 fatty acids has been associated with lowering the incidence of Alzeheimer’s disease. Research appearing in Achieves of Neurology (2005; 62(12):1849-53) looked at the cognitive decline associated with age and its relation to diet. Subjects were given four standardized tests. Cognitive evaluations were performed three times over six years of follow-up.

The body’s response to a chemical found in the brain, orexin A, may be linked with the desire to exercise and may explain a difference between active people who are always on the go and couch potatoes. Research published in the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, online August 14, 2006,

According to a study (“Dietary Folate and Vitamins B12, B6, and B2 Intake and the Risk of Postpartum Depression in Japan: The Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study,” Miyake Y, Sasaki S, et al, J Affect Disord., 2006 June 29), B vitamin intake may help to prevent postpartum depression. The subjects of the study were

Geriatric patients with depression were involved in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study testing the effect B vitamins have on depression. The study, published in the Journal of The American College of Nutrition (1992;11(2):159- 163) lasted four weeks. The subjects were given a daily 10 mg. dose of B1, B2, and B6. The group receiving the B

According to the FDA, there is no effective treatment for autism. An article published in Autism Research Review International (2003;17(4):3,6) recaps testimony given to the Government Reform Committee on “The Future Challenges of Autism” by Bernard Rimland, PhD. Dr. Rimland is the founder of the Autism Society of America. The society holds conferences where doctors

Last year (2003) British health authorities declared that most popular anti-depressants might sometimes increase the risk of suicidal behavior in children and teenagers. They declared all but one — Prozac — unsuitable for young people diagnosed with depression, but stopped short of a pediatric ban. In March, the FDA urged close monitoring of patients for

Research appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine (2007;167:188-194) shows a connection between the use of  selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (also called SSRIs—these are drugs like Prozac and other commonly used anti depressants) and fracture. Over 5000 subjects over the age of 50 were monitored for a period of five years. The researchers found that

Anger is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Research published in the journal Thorax (2006; 61(10):863-8) indicates that hostility and anger constricts the airways and may actually cause pulmonary function to decline over time. The subjects of the research were 670 men. Their level of hostility was determined by using the Cook Medley Hostility Scale.